Description

The Ted Shanks Conservation Area HREP is located on the right descending bank of the Mississippi River in Pike county, Missouri.  The project area lies in Pool 24 river miles 284.5 to 288.5.  The project area consists of 2,900 acres of the Ted Shanks Conservation Area and associated islands in the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area.  These lands are managed under a cooperative agreement between the Department of Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Army Corps of Engineers.  Management of these project lands has been assumed by the Missouri Department of Conservation under a successive cooperative agreement.

In addition to the construction and operation of Lock and Dam 24, many other ecosystem changes have occurred within the project area including construction of berms along the Mississippi and Salt Rivers, clearing forests and wet prairie for agricultural production, management of the area as a wetland impoundment, and altered vegetation composition and distribution.  Following the prolonged Mississippi River flood in 1993, much of the bottomland hardwood and floodplain forest at Ted Shanks died and reed canary grass invaded these area.  A major contributor to the tree mortality was the system of undersized water control structures through the berms that could not efficiently drain the area. 

The goal of this HREP is to restore and enhance the quality and diversity of wetland habitat in the project area.  The objectives include: 1) Improve water level management; 2) Increase quantity of bottomland and floodplain forest; and 3) Improve aquatic habitat.

Quick Facts

• Approximate Acres: 2900
• Congressional District: Missouri - 6
• State(s) Covered: Missouri
• Land Ownership: Federal
• Management Agency: Missouri Department of Conservation
• Management Authority: Refuge

Project Features

• Create three management units and setback the exterior berm along the Salt River at two locations
• Enlarge the external water drainage capacity
• Increase the capacity to drain water from Nose Slough
• Plant hard mast producing trees
• Plant floodplain forest
•  Diesel pump station along Mississippi River
• Construct rock riffles and hard points and relocate the mouth of Deadman's Slough

Milestones

• The Fact Sheet was approved in October 2004.
• The Definite Project Report was approved in May 2011.
• Under Construction